Pressure-reducer for gaseous liquids.



H. A. REED.

PRESSURE REDUGEB. FOR GASEOUS LIQUIDS. APPLIouIoN rum) 116.111, 1907.

Bymr.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

HARRY ASHTON REED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR rFOOARBONIO OONDENSING OO., OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PRESSURE-REDUGER FOR GASEOUS LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 2o, 190s.

Application led August 19, 1907. Serial No. 389,281.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY A sHroN REED, a citizen of the 'United States, and a residen of' the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State ol New York, have invented new and useful improvements in Pressure-Reducers for Gaseous Liquids, of which the following is a iiull, clear, and eXact description.

This invention is an improvement in pressure reducers for ale, beer and other gaseous liquids, having for an object primarily to reduce the pressure of the iluid in drawing it from the barrel or cash, whereby the gas and liquid will pass out in proper proportions without waste of the gas, and thus obviate the danger of the beverage becoming flat.

The invention further resides in certain special features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawifigs forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe invention complete, partly shown in central vertical section; Fig. 2 is a cross section through the connection between the storage, cooling and settling tank and a three-way valve arranged .in the length of the liquid supply; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the pressure reducing valve.

The invention is composed of a tank 5 of copper or other suitable material for storing, cooling aid settling the liquid, and is connected at` its bottom with a supply pipe or passage 6 which leads from the source of supply, which is ordinarily one or more caslrs of beer, ale or other gaseous liquid,ilocated in the cellar or basement, together with my improved pressure reducing appliance, the latter being contained in an ice boX or other cool place.

The supply pipe or passage is provided at a point in its length with a strainer 7, and at a point therebe ond with a pressure reducing valve 8, as also with pressure gages 9 and 10 located respectively at each side of the reducing valve.

Adjacent to the tank 5, the passage 6 leads throu h a three-Way valve 1 1 which is prefer-A ably irectly secured to the tank, as illusf of the chamber.

trated in Eig. 2, by means of a collar 12. The said collar is ceui'iterbored on its under face to receive a counterpart shoulder formed on the valve flange and operating when the collar is tightened to press into the base of the tank and form a liquid and gastight oint.

The tl1reeway valve 11 provides communication between the passage and tank or between the tank and a coclr 13 located at one side thereof.

Leading from the top of the tank to the point at which the beer or ale is drawn is a vent-pipe 14 and a discharge-pipe or passage 15, the latter passing from a point near the bottom of the `tanlr and is jointly connected at the top of the tank by a suitable coupling 16. The discharge-pipe 15 has a hand-operated valve 17 arranged slightly above the tank, and is also connected at a point therebeyond with a by-pass 18 which leads from the supply pipe 6 intermediate the reducing valve 8 and pressure gage 9, the connection at this point being elfected through a threeway valve 19 which permits of the liquid supply being taken directly from the cash without reduction of pressure as should the pressure reducing mechanism become deranged, or for other reasons. The by-pass 18 can also be cut out by a hand-operated valve 2O which is arranged near the point of connection with the supply-pipe 15.

The pressure reducing valve, which forms an important feature of the invention and as illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, consists ot a chamber 21 having connections at opposite sides for the admission and discharge of the liquid, respectively, the latter being provided with an elbow or angular-passage 22 which is covered with a strainer `22, and is down wardlyv directed at substantially the center This passage is normally closed by a valve 23 under the influence of a spring 24, and has a depending stem which is guided within a plug 25 threaded throughthe bottom of the chamber.

The valve 23.is faced with a disk of leather or other soft material 26, which is clamped about its edges between the valve head and an internally threaded and ianged collar '27, the said collar being formed integrally with a yoke 28 which straddles the inner end of the passage 22. The top of the chamber 21 is 1 internally flanged and receives a screwthreaded cap 29, between which and said flange is clamped a rubber or other like diaphragm 30, the latter being also connected at the center by binding it between the top of the yoke and the flanged head of a stein 3i, the connection between the yoke and the stein being effected by providing the former with a threaded stud, as clearly shown.

The cap 29 is internally threaded through its center for receiving a thinible 32, between which and the head of the stein 3l is interposed a spring 33, which acts to resist the pressure of the liquid as it is introduced within the chamber, and which may have the tension adjusted thereon by the tliinible 32 to regulate the relative diierence between the pressures introduced and discharged from the chamber 21.

ln the operation of the invention after it is connected with one or more casks of beer, ale, etc., the pressure of the liquid is registered on the gage 9 and passes into the regulating valve 8, opening the valve 23 and reacting against the diaphragm 30, which is of much greater area, as it passes to the pressure gage l0, and thence into the tank. By adjusting the thiinble S2 the relative dilerence between the pressures recorded on the gages 9 and l0 may be varied in any desired amount and the liquid may be drawn from the tank through the discharge-pipe 15 with as little or as much ioain as desired.

if there is an excess of gas within the tank 5 it may be released by opening the valve in the vent-pipe le which is ordinarily located near the point at which the beverage is drawn.

l have found in practice that after a barrel of ale has been exhausted through my iniproved pressure reducer, a considerable quantity of gas is left in the barrel, usually thirty or more pounds. it is convenient to use this gas for washing out the tank this being done by filling the tank with Water, as by unscrewing the coupling 16. The pressure in the barrel is then admitted to the top of the tank through the by-pass 18, and the three-way valve l1 opened to let the v-.f'ater and gas escape through the cock 13.

The invention as shown and described while being the preferred practical embodiment of my improved pressure reducer may Voperated valves located in sai be modified in numerous particulars falling Within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, lf

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A pressure reducer for gaseous liquids, comprising a tank 'for storing, cooling and settling the liquid, a pipe leading from the liquid supply to said tank, a pressure reducing valve located in the length of said pipe, three-Way valves in the length of the supply pipe at each side of the reducing valve, pressure gages carried by said pipe at the opposite sides of the reducing valve, a discharge pipe leading from near the bottoni of the tank and passing through the top thereof, a vent-pipe connecting with the top of the tank, a by-pass connecting one of said threeway valves and the discharge pipe, and handc by-pass and the discharge pipe adjacent to said tank.

2. A pressure reducer for gaseous liquids, comprising a tank, a pipe leading from the liquid supply to the lower portion of the tank, a pressure reducing valve locatedY in the length of the pipe, a discharge pipe leading 'from the tank, andr means for passing a liquid from the supply pipe at the rear of the reducing valve through the discharge pipe into the tank, and drain it therefrom through the supply pipe in advance of said valve.

3. fr pressure reducer for gaseous liquids, comprising a tank, a pipe leading from the liquid supply to said tank, a pressure reducing valve located in the length of said pipe,

three-way valves in the length of said pipe at each side of the reducing valve, a discharge pipe leading from the tank, and a by-pass connecting one of said three-way valves with the discharge pipe, whereby a liquidV for washing out the tank may be introduced tliereinto through the supply pipe, one of said three-way valves, by-pass and discharge pipe, and drained therefrom through the other of said three-Way valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY ASHTON REED. y Vilitnesses:

LESTER W. BARBIER, H. D. Ti-IATCHER. 

